


well, that's just embarrassing

by IronSwordStarShield (SweetFanfics)



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: M/M, Poor Fury, accidental love confession, based vaguely before tWS happens, its why we love him, mild misunderstanding, steve's a dweeb, this is not the team nick fury wanted but its the one he's got anyways
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-09
Updated: 2019-09-09
Packaged: 2020-10-13 08:27:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20579486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SweetFanfics/pseuds/IronSwordStarShield
Summary: Where Steve accidentally tells Tony he loves him andthenrealizes, whoops. Tony was saying "I love you" to RHODEYon the phone. If no one quite minds, Steve's going to jump out the elevator now, thank you.





	well, that's just embarrassing

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by this ever so adorable fanart/comic by @acachette (oh steve you darling adorable dweeb) 

Steve’s been in his fair share of embarrassing situations before and has often felt the urge to throw himself out the window in the vain hopes of escaping the red-blush of shame crawling up his neck during those aforementioned moments. But this is the first time he’s a. been several feet about ground when the urge struck, b. stuck in a moving elevator with his crush who he just accidentally confessed his crush to, c. been genuinely capable of jumping out through reinforced glass, and d. feel so embarrassed he wants to _die_.

Of course it doesn’t help that Tony’s _giggling _behind him, one hand tugging lightly on Steve’s elbow while Steve’s trying to just _phase _through the glass walls of this SHIELD elevator. “Steve, come on. Will you look at me please?” Tony’s voice is warm with good humor. 

Pressing his forehead harder into the glass, Steve grumbles, “No. Go away.”

“Oh that reminds me.” 

Steve cracks one eye open when he hears something opening. A metallic panel maybe? He catches his own red-cheeked reflection in the thick glass and hey, there it is. The urge to melt into a puddle of shame-filled go. Before Steve can whimper in agony, Tony presses something and the elevator shudders to a halt. Steve’s head twitches up at the red light blinking overhead, alarm and dismay flooding him when he realizes what Tony’s done; he’s pressed the emergency stop button.

He turns to Tony, ready to ask what the hell does Tony think he’s doing but just as quickly jerks back, the shield on his back smacking against the glass wall with a dull thunk as Tony’s arms pin him in place. Steve’s eyes nervously glance between the two hands on either side of his head before he slowly turns to look down at Tony, who is smirking up at him.

“So,” Tony says, voice warm, low, and husky. It reminds Steve of fine aged whiskey and struggles not to let his knees turn to water. It's a lost cause. “You love me too?”

“It was a mistake. I thought… I didn’t mean…” Steve fumbles, brain not even making an attempt to think up of a suitable lie because he’s got nothing. Nada. Zip. Steve’s got no reasonable enough explanation for the fact that he’d blurted his feelings out to Tony. But what _else _was he supposed to think? It was just him and Tony in the elevator, standing in companionable silence and then, standing behind Steve, who faced the elevator doors, Tony had said, “I love you.”

And Steve had thought Tony was talking to _him_. Not that damn bluetooth device in his ear which Steve hadn’t noticed when he’d stepped into the fucking elevator. So, _really_! Can anyone blame him for this complete fuck up of a situation? At the same time, there’s no escape here. There’s just… facing this situation head on.

Steve gathers his courage and raises his chin, stubbornly staring Tony down as he firmly says, “Yeah. I said it.”

Something nebulous shines in Tony’s eyes. It’s dark and contemplative, lazy and hazy in a way that has Steve holding his breath. It reminds him of the darkest of storm clouds gathering on the horizon, thunder crowning their heads and deep rumbles heralding their arrival. It makes his stomach flip nervously even as his mouth dries up. 

“Did you mean it?” Tony asks in the softest of voices but it’s too still. Too controlled. Almost as though…as though he’s _scared _of what Steve’s answer could be. But why would Tony be afraid?

Steve tries to reign in the chaos in his mind and heart for a second, just long enough for him to gather himself and nod slowly at Tony. “I did.” 

And that moment of collected calm is somehow enough for the dam on his feelings to break. Steve finds himself swallowing, keenly aware of how dry his lips are, how Tony’s so close, his tanned his forearms are, how nice his cologne is. All those little things he’s noticed about Tony before coming at him at once… of course he’d break. 

Steve’s eyes shyly dip down, voice a quiet murmur as he confesses, “I’ve been in love with you for a while now.”

Because he’s gazing down in the little space between them, Steve gets to _see _how his words make Tony’s chest shudder. Then it’s his turn to forget how to breath when Tony takes half a step forward. His thigh is between Tony's legs now. Steve shivers when Tony’s next question is a delicious whisper against his ear. “How long?”

“Months,” Steve whispers back, fingers still clenched against the glass. How he wants to touch Tony. He wants to run his fingers up Tony’s sides, see if the gray vest he’s wearing feels as smooth as it looks. Steve wants to curl his fingers into Tony’s hair, trace the shape of his beard, touch his cheek. Steve yearns to learn how warm Tony is, where strength yield to softness. How-

An odd sound hiccups in his lungs when sly fingers curl into his hair, fingertips dragging deliciously against his scalp. He follows Tony’s touch when it urges Steve to look up. Dark brown eyes gleam with wonder and happiness. 

“You never said anything.” Tony’s voice is breathless and low, sending a shiver of heat through Steve.

Wondering if he can touch Tony back, Steve shyly reaches back and presses his fingertips into Tony’s sides. “I never meant to. You were with Pepper before and then I didn’t want to be your rebound.”

“You know what a r-…” Tony surprised half-statement dies in a small laugh. But Steve understands and he tries not to scowl because of course he knows what a rebound is. He’s been in the future long enough to understand a lot of things, including the fact that there’s a word for jumping too fast into a relationship after getting out of a longer one. 

When Tony looks up… Steve forgets everything. There’s nothing in the world except Tony’s warm, beautiful eyes, the dark sweep of his lashes, his smile lines, and the grin that’s lighting up his face. “You wanna know a secret?”

Steve cautiously nods, feeling like he’s standing on the edge of a cliff, wondering where this is going. A shiver runs down his spine and a moan catches in his throat when Tony presses against him, chest to chest, and kisses the corner of Steve’s mouth. “I’ve been in love with you for a while too.”

Disbelief, wonder, happiness, all crash into him at the same time, leaving him breathless and speechless because this can’t be real. This has to be a dream. Steve’s back in his tiny apartment dreaming because there’s no way Tony feels the same way. He’s… It…

And then Tony pulls back, vulnerability pouring off him. In a heartbeat, Steve realizes why. He immediately slides his arms around Tony, keeping him in place. “For how long?” Steve parrots back Tony’s earlier question, heartbeat thudding in his ears because…since when? Since _when_? 

Ah. So _that’s _what shyness looks like on Tony. It’s a wobbly, crooked grin that’s too big, dark eyes that slide away to the side, an endearing color painting the tips of Tony’s ears pink. “A lot longer than you.”

“How long?” Steve insists, breathless because oh. He’s always thought Tony was lovely and vivacious and lively and beautiful in a way that surpassed words (not that Steve’s good with words in the first place). But this Tony? Shy and tender? It’s the very loveliest Tony. He wants to kiss Tony. Steve wants to dip his head and catch Tony’s smile in a kiss and learn what Tony’s happiness tastes like, feels like. But first, Steve would like an answer.

“A long, long time,” Tony answers, smile turning just a little self-deprecating before he admits, “Since I was a kid. I mean, I hated you for a bit in the middle but. You never stopped being my hero.”

The confession sends Steve’s good moon plummeting. “You mean Captain America…” 

Wouldn’t it just figure though? Of course Tony’d be more attracted to Captain America than Steve Rogers. Everyone sees the mask and not the ma-

“No,” Tony shakes his head. “I mean Steve Rogers. The guy who stood up for doing the right thing. Who ran into enemy territory to save his best friend. The guy that wanted to make a difference. That’s the guy I’ve always liked.”

“Liked?” Steve finds himself breathlessly asking, ducking down slightly as he tries to catch Tony’s eye before he gives up and uses his hand to direct Tony’s gaze towards him. When their eyes meet, Steve repeats himself, “You _liked_?”

“Loved. Same thing.” Tony admits with a quick blink, like he doesn’t want to miss a second of looking at Steve, or Steve looking back at him.

This day can’t be real. It’s too incredible. Steve didn’t realize it was possible to feel so happy that you don’t know what to do with yourself. Where you want to do so much you’re frozen in indecision. He can just stare Tony down and ask, “This isn’t a dream, right?”

“Do you dream about us confessing our love to each other a lot?”

Whoops, shouldn’t have let that one slip out. Steve hates that he knows his face is going red. He presses his lips together, insides twisting in agony when Tony’s teasing smile turns to surprise. Steve braces himself for more teasing and leg pulling but instead he just gets an armful of Tony, who is hugging him tightly, and saying, “Not a dream Steve. This is real.”

The exhale that’s punched out of him takes all of Steve’s worries with it. All that’s left behind is sweet relief and a budding happiness that encourages him to tighten his grip on Tony and maybe do a quick spin of happiness. Tony laughs in his ear as they do a quick twirl, the bright sound of it interrupted when Nick’s voice suddenly comes through a hidden speaker, “If you two are quite done flirting, can I have my elevator back?”

“It’s all yours,” Tony cheerfully replies, waving his hand in the top left corner. “Steve, be a dear and hit the emergency button. We’ve got places to be.”

_Oh, _Steve thinks dumbly when he catches the lascivious wink throw his way before grinning back. If that means what he _thinks _it means…

“Spare me the details just get the hell out of my building.”


End file.
